I'm currently in week 3 of adjudication and this thread is honestly a lifeline! My claim got stuck because of some wage verification issues with my former employer who apparently decided to take their sweet time responding to NYS Department of Labor requests. I was getting so stressed thinking I might just lose those 3 weeks of benefits forever, but reading everyone's experiences here is giving me so much hope. The fact that literally every single person who got approved also received their full back pay from their original filing date is incredibly reassuring - it really seems like this is standard operating procedure, not some rare exception. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread and taking notes on all the advice about checking for manual certification weeks and following up if payments don't show up within 2 weeks. The financial stress has been overwhelming, but knowing that others have been through this exact situation and came out with their full retroactive benefits is helping me stay strong. Thank you all for sharing your stories - this community support means everything when you're navigating this bureaucratic maze!

I'm currently going through this exact same nightmare - my claim has been stuck in adjudication for 4 weeks now because my previous employer keeps saying they "need more time" to gather employment records. Reading through all these success stories is honestly the first time I've felt hopeful in weeks! I was starting to think that month of missed benefits was just gone forever, especially since I'm already maxed out on credit cards trying to survive. It's incredibly reassuring to see that literally everyone who shared their experience here got their full retroactive pay once approved - that can't be a coincidence. The consistency across all these stories really makes it seem like NYS Department of Labor automatically honors your original filing date regardless of how long adjudication drags on. I'm definitely saving all the practical advice about checking for manual weekly certifications and following up if payments don't appear. Four weeks of back pay is going to be around $2,000 for me, which would be absolutely life-changing right now. Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences - knowing that this back pay is standard procedure and not just wishful thinking is giving me the strength to keep hanging on through this financial hell!

I'm going through the EXACT same nightmare right now! Week 5 for me and I'm about ready to lose my mind. The mother's maiden name thing is so frustrating because you KNOW you're entering it correctly but the system just keeps rejecting it. Reading through all these responses is actually really helpful - I had no idea they were pulling from credit reports and multiple databases. That explains why the "right" answer might not be what we think it is. I'm definitely going to pull my credit reports today to see what's actually on file there. The assembly member approach sounds promising since multiple people have had success with it. I'm also seriously considering trying that Claimyr service - normally I'd be super skeptical but when this many people say it actually worked, it's hard to ignore. $20 is nothing compared to months without benefits. Pedro, please keep us updated on what ends up working for you! This thread is like a support group for people stuck in unemployment hell 😭 Hang in there everyone - sounds like there are actually solutions if we're persistent enough!

This exact same thing happened to my sister last year! The system kept rejecting her mother's maiden name no matter what she tried. What finally worked was realizing they had pulled the wrong information from an old bank account application where she had accidentally used her mom's FIRST name instead of maiden name (don't ask me how that even happened lol). The breakthrough came when she got through to an actual DOL agent who could see what was in their system. Turns out they had "Patricia" listed as the maiden name instead of "Rodriguez" because of some data mix-up from years ago. I'd definitely recommend the assembly member route that everyone's mentioning - my sister tried that too and they were super helpful. But honestly what got her the fastest results was using one of those callback services (I think it was Claimyr?) to actually talk to someone at unemployment. Once she could explain the situation to a real person, they fixed it in like 10 minutes. Also definitely check your credit reports! So many of these verification questions come from there and credit bureaus are notorious for having errors. You might find your mom's name is listed completely wrong on one of them. Don't give up - this is totally fixable once you get past the broken automated system! 🙏

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - been waiting 5 weeks for my seasonal landscaping unemployment to process. What's really frustrating is that I've been doing seasonal work for 3 years and never had these kinds of delays before. Something definitely changed with their system this year. Has anyone had luck with the online chat feature? I noticed they added it recently but every time I try to use it, it says "all agents are busy" and never connects me to anyone. At this point I'm willing to try anything to get my claim moving. Also wanted to mention for anyone filing in the future - make sure you have your employer's federal tax ID number ready. I didn't have mine when I first applied and had to call my old boss to get it, which probably contributed to my delays. They use it to verify your work history automatically instead of having to wait for employer responses.

I'm going through something similar right now - worked at a waterfront restaurant that closed for the winter season in November, and I've been waiting almost 4 weeks for my first payment. Reading through all these responses has been really eye-opening about the seasonal work complications. I think I made the same mistake as Ethan - I probably didn't clearly mark my work as seasonal when I filed, and I definitely didn't know about that buried "seasonal work patterns" question that Jean Claude mentioned. That would explain why my claim is stuck in review limbo. The advice about getting a letter from your employer beforehand is brilliant - wish I had thought of that. And the tip about having the federal tax ID ready is something I'll definitely remember. I had to email my old manager to get employment verification info, which probably added to my delays. At this point I'm seriously considering trying that Claimyr service. It's frustrating that we have to pay extra just to access benefits we're entitled to, but if it actually works and gets me connected to someone who can resolve this, it might be worth it. The regular phone system is completely impossible - I've tried calling probably 20+ times and never gotten through to a human. Has anyone else noticed if certain times of day work better for getting through? I've been trying mostly afternoons but maybe I should try those early morning slots that Amara suggested.

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago when I got laid off from my manufacturing job and started doing DoorDash and Instacart to make ends meet. You can absolutely file for unemployment while doing part-time gig work! Here's what I wish I had known from the start: 1) Apply TODAY - seriously, don't wait another day because there's a waiting week and you're missing out on money, 2) When you do your weekly certification, report the gross amount DoorDash pays you (before they take their service fees), 3) Keep screenshots of your weekly earnings summaries - I save mine to Google Drive every Sunday, 4) The benefit reduction formula is actually pretty fair - with your $200-300/week you should still get a solid partial payment. I was making similar amounts from gig work and still got around $320/week in partial benefits. The hardest part honestly is navigating the weekly certification questions about self-employment, but once you get the hang of it it's straightforward. Also don't forget you still need to do your work search activities even though you're dashing - gig work doesn't count toward that requirement. The whole process was way less stressful than I built it up to be in my head. You've got this!

I was in your exact situation a few months ago - laid off from my plumbing job and started doing DoorDash while job hunting. You can definitely file for unemployment while doing gig work part-time! The system is set up to handle partial unemployment situations like yours. Here's what worked for me: Apply immediately - don't wait because you're losing potential benefits every week due to the waiting period. When you certify each week, report your GROSS DoorDash earnings (the full amount before DoorDash takes their cut). Keep good records - I screenshot my weekly earnings summary every Sunday. With your $200-300/week from DoorDash, you should still qualify for partial benefits that will help bridge the gap while you look for full-time work. The benefit reduction isn't dollar-for-dollar, so it's definitely worth applying. Also remember you'll still need to complete work search activities since gig work doesn't count toward that requirement. The whole process was way less complicated than I expected once I understood how to properly report the self-employment income. Don't overthink it - just apply and be honest about everything!

I went through something similar a few years back. Got disqualified initially but was able to file a new claim when I got laid off from my next job. One thing that helped me was keeping all the paperwork from my layoff - the WARN notice, any emails about the company restructuring, etc. Having that documentation ready made the process smoother when they reviewed my claim. Also, don't stress too much about the previous disqualification - like others said, they really focus on your most recent job separation. Good luck!

I'm actually going through the exact same situation right now! I was disqualified about 8 months ago (they said I was terminated for misconduct which was bogus) and just got laid off last month. I filed my new claim last week and it went through without any issues so far. The online application didn't even ask about previous claims - it just focused on my work history and reason for separation from my most recent job. Since you were laid off, that's definitely a qualifying reason. I'd say go ahead and file as soon as possible because there's usually a waiting period anyway. Don't let the previous disqualification psych you out!